Correspondence about rapid antigen test supply

M Foster made this Official Information request to Ministry of Health

The request was successful.

From: M Foster

Dear Ministry of Health,

I would like to request copies of correspondence related to Ministry of Health's decision to restrict supply of rapid antigen tests to a few companies (and not the wider market) in late 2021 and early 2022.

Specifically:
1. Minutes of any meetings where rapid antigen test supply was discussed in December 2021 and January 2022.
2. Copies of any presentations and reports referred to in these minutes.
3. Copies of email correspondence related to rapid antigen test supply, from December 2021.

Yours faithfully,
M Foster

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From: OIA Requests

Thank you for your Official Information Act request. This is
an automatic reply to let you know we received it.

In accordance with the Act, we'll let you know our decision within no more
than 20 working days. If you'd like to calculate the timeframe, you can
use the Ombudsman's online calculator
here: [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic response, the Ministry is experiencing
significantly higher volumes of queries and requests for information. This
means we may take some time in responding to your request. The Ministry
regularly updates information about the COVID-19 situation and publishes
OIA responses considered to be of public interest:
[2]https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...

Please also refer to the Unite Against Covid-19 website for copies of
papers, minutes, and key advice for the decisions the Government has made
relating to COVID-19.

Sometimes we may need to clarify aspects of a request. You can expect to
hear from us soon if that is the case here.

Ngā mihi,

OIA Services

Government Services

Office of the Director-General

Ministry of Health

E: [3][email address]

 

 

 

 

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Kia ora,  

  

Thank you for your request for official information received on 25 May
2022 for: 

  

"1. Minutes of any meetings where rapid antigen test supply was discussed
in December 2021 and January 2022.

2. Copies of any presentations and reports referred to in these minutes.
3. Copies of email correspondence related to rapid antigen test supply,
from December 2021." 

  

The Ministry's reference number for your request is: H202206893.  

  

As required under the Official Information Act 1982, the Ministry will
endeavour to respond to your request no later than 23 June 2022, being 20
working days after the day your request was received. 

  

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic response, the Ministry is experiencing
significantly higher volumes of queries and requests for information. If
we are unable to respond to your request within this time frame, we will
notify you of an extension of that time frame. 

  

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch. 

Ngā mihi

 

OIA Services Team

 

[1]Ministry of Health information releases

[2]Unite against COVID-19

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Tçnâ koe M Foster
Thank you for your request for official information, received on 25 May
2022 for:

“1. Minutes of any meetings where rapid antigen test supply was
discussed in December 2021 and January 2022.
2. Copies of any presentations and reports referred to in these minutes.
3. Copies of email correspondence related to rapid antigen test supply,
from December 2021.”

We are contacting you in accordance with section 18B of the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act) as part 3 of your request, as it is
currently worded, is for a very large volume of information. Your request
may be refused under section 18(f) of the Act as the information requested
cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.
The Ministry has so far identified over 1000 email chains in the scope of
part 3 of your request. If it is possible for you to narrow the scope of
your request by specifying a shorter time frame, we may be able to provide
you with information.
Please respond by Wednesday 8 June 2022 so that we can consider your
refinement in our response to your request.
Please note, under section 15 of the Official Information Act 1982, any
clarification or amendments made to a request within seven days after the
date it is received, that request may be treated as a new request and the
time limit for the response restarts.
We look forward to receiving your response.

Ngâ mihi 

  

OIA Services Team 

  

[1]Ministry of Health information releases 

[2]Unite against COVID-19 

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From: M Foster

Dear OIA Requests,

Thank you for your response.

To focus point 3 on a shorter timeframe:
3. Copies of email correspondence related to rapid antigen test supply,
from between 10 December 2021 and 13 December 2021.

Yours sincerely,

M Foster

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From: OIA Requests


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Kia ora M Foster,
Thank you for your request for official information, received on 25 May
2022 requesting:

“1. Minutes of any meetings where rapid antigen test supply was
discussed in December 2021 and January 2022. 
2. Copies of any presentations and reports referred to in these
minutes. 
3. Copies of email correspondence related to rapid antigen test supply,
from December 2021."

On 1 June 2022, you refined part 3 of your request to:

"3. Copies of email correspondence related to rapid antigen test supply,
from between 10 December 2021 and 13 December 2021.”

The Ministry of Health has decided to extend the period of time available
to respond to your request under section 15A of the Official Information
Act 1982 (the Act), as further research collation and consultation is
required.
You can now expect a response to your request on, or before, 29 July 2022.
You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to
review my decision to extend the time available to respond to your
request.

Ngâ mihi 

  

OIA Services Team 

M[1]inistry of Health information releases 
U[2]nite against COVID-19 

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Kia ora M Foster,

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) on 25 May for information about rapid antigen test (RAT) supply.

 

Information in response to some parts of your request are outlined below:

 

1. Minutes of any meetings where rapid antigen test supply was discussed
in December 2021 and January 2022.

2. Copies of any presentations and reports referred to in these minutes.

 

These parts of your request are refused under section 18(e) of the Act, as
the information requested does not exist. During the time period
specified, no meetings about RAT supply took place. Rather, this was all
done through phone calls. Similarly, no presentations were made and
reporting did not start until February 2022.

 

3. Copies of email correspondence related to rapid antigen test supply,
from between 10 December 2021 and 13 December 2021.

 

Pursuant to section 15(1)(a) of the Act, the Ministry is writing to advise
you that a decision has been made on this part of your request; however,
it will take us some time to prepare the information for release. As it
stands, some information will be withheld under the following sections of
the Act:

 

o 9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of natural persons
o 9(2)(b)(ii), where its release would likely unreasonably prejudice the
commercial position of the person who supplied the information.

 

We will send you the information as soon as reasonably practicable;
however you may be interested in the following proactively released
documents:

o [1]www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/20210098_briefing.pdf
o [2]www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/20210652_briefing.pdf
o [3]www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/20210494_briefing.pdf
o [4]www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/20210739_briefing.pdf
o [5]www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/20210994_briefing.pdf

 

Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
contacted by email at: [6][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602.

 

 

Ngā mihi

 

OIA Services Team

[7]www.health.govt.nz

[8]Ministry of Health information releases

[9]Unite against COVID-19

 

 

 

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Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying
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If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
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6. mailto:[email address]
7. http://www.health.govt.nz/
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9. https://covid19.govt.nz/

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From: M Foster

Dear OIA Requests,

Thank you for your reply.
Do you have an estimate of when the information will be ready to share?

Yours sincerely,

M Foster

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From: M Foster

Dear OIA Requests,

I'm following up on my previous request — can you please advise a timeframe in which information will be released?

Yours sincerely,

M Foster

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From: OIA Requests


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Kia ora M Foster
Please see attached a response to your request for official information.

Ngā mihi 

  

OIA Services Team 

M[1]inistry of Health information releases 
U[2]nite against COVID-19 

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Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying
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legal privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
immediately and delete this message.
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